Current Favorites

Hello everyone! I'm really sorry for not updating my blog often. I tried to but I've been really busy lately and to make matters worse, my hard drive crashed! Ughh. So anyway, I've accumulated so much stuff already that I rarely purchase anything anymore. My room is sort of like a little Watsons already, so I really have to use up what I have before I purchase even more. So for now, I'd like to show you my current favorites among the things that I'm using. 

Current favorite cleansing oil: Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil Fresh

Whoa that's a long name. I've seriously tried all the variants of the Shu Uemura cleansing oils, and I feel that this one is the best for my skin type. The makeup removing properties are just okay, but this helps make my skin less oily, so I will keep repurchasing this until I find something that works as well but more affordable and will not break me out.

Current favorite evening product: M2 Skin Refinish 20% (formerly Mama Lotion)

I'm currently on my second bottle. It has a high price tag, but my first one lasted me at least six months. This is very good for my uber oily skin. It helps keep breakouts at bay and is an anti-aging product as well.

Current favorite foundation: Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup

This is my favorite liquid foundation! Its staying power is superb, and after I oil up I still look good.

Current favorite body scrub: Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Body Scrub

I still haven't found anything to replace this. I haven't seen any whitening effects (which I'm not really after) but it's affordable, exfoliates without being too abrasive, not to mention it smells good!

How about you? What are your current favorites?

Product Review: Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup

Good morning everyone! How are you doing? It's a thursday today meaning most of you are already looking forward for the weekend. As for me, well, things get busier during the weekend. 

Anyway, today I will be reviewing Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup. Pammy was kind enough to give me a sample and she also raved about it in her blog.

After trying it out a few times, I was really sold! I don't normally use liquid foundation except for events, since I find that it starts looking ugly after several hours because of my uber oily skin. But I think my skin has finally found its match!

This foundation gives a medium coverage. The bottle looks scary because the foundation looks cool- toned when in the bottle, but it actually is warm-toned when applied to the skin.

PROS

• classy packaging
• great staying power
• creates a smooth finish
• comes with SPF 10 for those who skip sunblock
• even after a few hours, my skin just looks dewy instead of looking oily! that way, I'm not so conscious of whether or not I have to blot

CONS

• doesn't come with a pump, so it's hard to get the foundation out
• can be a little hard to blend
• pricey at P1900. but I just think of it this way, I'm just adding P300 to a MAC Studio Fix Fluid, but I get better results!

Topped with my favorite finishing powder (which will be revealed in future posts), I finally look decent and not like an oil mine!

Here's an FOTD of me wearing Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup. I'm sorry I can't take a clearer FOTD, since the lighting here in the house is pretty bad.

Have you tried this? How do you find it? :) Have a great day!

My Top Beauty Discoveries for 2010 + My New Gadget

Happy New Year everyone! Finally I'm going to show you my top beauty discoveries for 2010. I know I haven't made individual reviews of a lot of these products yet so stay tuned, guys. I will do my best to do individual reviews for those that I haven't done. Mind you these products have no particular order.

1. Cream Silk Precision Repair Treatment

What can I say? For around P200 for a 250 ml tub, this is a great steal! I use this once or twice a week on my damaged hair and it really does make it soft!

2. Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Scrub

Another affordable product that can be easily found. Like the previous product, it costs less than P200 for around 200g. I'm not sure about the whitening part, but as a scrub it does the job. It's not too harsh but not too mild either. It has a great scent too!

3. Clarins Double Fix Mascara

If you know me, then you'll know I have the oiliest lids on the planet! I've tried all the so-called "waterproof" mascaras, but they don't stand a chance against my oily lids. Instead, I've had to use fiber mascaras which are great for everyday, but don't really give the extra oomph that I want during night outs. This mascara has solved my problem! I put it on top of my waterproof mascara, and it stays on! It comes with a hefty price tag, but it's worth it for me!

4. Urban Decay Naked Palette

I'm surprised that I haven't seen this in lists so far, considering that this palette has a very high demand and is always sold out on the website. This has become my go-to palette especially for weddings!

5. Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup Foundation

I tried a sample of this and loved this! I'm definitely going to write a more in-depth review about this. For now, let me just say that this has become my skin enhancing foundation. And it's cheaper than foundations from Shu Uemura, Bobbi Brown and MUFE, although you get a little less product.

So there you have it everyone, my top beauty discoveries for 2010.

On a side note, I finally bought a new phone after three years! Meet my new gadget: my HTC Aria! I've been wanting to try an android phone for some time now, since my techie friends are recommending it to me more than an Apple phone. Besides, lets face it, I don't have enough moolah to buy an IPhone 4. Hihi!

I'm really enjoying my new phone!

Watch out guys, I'll be doing a blog sale within the week. I sort of have to make up for the money I spent on my phone!

The Haul Before Christmas + I'm in a Catalog!

Hello everyone! How was your Christmas? I'm just enjoying my 4-day break. Breaks these long come so rarely. Anyway, I just want to show you some of the stuff I bought a few days before Christmas. 

First, I gave in and bought a bottle of Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation. Pammy gave me a sample and I loved it! So I bought a bottle for myself :)

A new brush belt from Suesh! I have too many brushes which won't fit in my two brush rolls so I think it's about time that I bought a big brush belt.

Some stuff from Ellana Minerals: Papaya Kojic soap, Lip Treatment in Cucumber Melon Fresh,  Butterfly Kiss and French Kiss Lip Palettes.

I really love lippies so these are great because I get four in one container! And they are mineral lippies so they are much better just for everyday use.

On a personal note, if you've seen their December catalog, you'll find that I'm in their pages! Can you spot me? LOL

And last but not least, my Urban Decay Jackpot that I ordered during the Sephora Friends and Family Sale has arrived. This set has 9 mini-sized 24/7 liners plus a full size pencil of Zero. I really can't wait to use these! I just feel sad that shortly after I ordered these, they released their Urban Decay 15th Anniversary set which includes all of their 24/7 pencils! Wah! At least I didn't spend too much money.

Anyway that's all. Belated Merry Christmas everyone!

Major Haul from the U.S.

Hello my dearies! How is everyone? I'm sorry I haven't been blogging lately. I've been very busy. But now I'm back! So I'd like to show you the stuff that my parents brought home when they came from the US. I asked for some of these stuff while some of these were given as gifts. So here's what I found when I came home:

Here's this really cute makeup bag from ULTA. It's pink and shiny! How great is that?

Here it is when it's opened! A makeup kit! It has lots of eyeshadows, lipglosses, some lipsticks and blushes. It also has two shades of concealer and some loose powders. I've tried the eyeshadows and they have good pigmentation. I can't say wow really but for the price I can't complain! The lipsticks are sheer but buildable.

 

 And here's what I've been waiting for the most.....

 

I'm really so excited about this! Here it is when opened.

 

Nice right? It has 16 shades, a mini UDPP and mini 24/7 pencils of Zero and Bourbon. If you've been following my blog for a long time, then you know that I loooove UD shadows! These are really great. Very good pigmentation, and it applies very creamy!

Here's a picture of different stuff from Clinique, Estee Lauder, Elizabeth Arden, and ELF. Also in the picture is an NYC waterproof pencil (which I've been reading good reviews about) and a NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Strawberry Milk. I originally asked for 4 shades of JES as well as a Concealer in a Jar but they were all OOS.

 

 And finally, a brush set from MAC's holiday collection and a MAC MSF Natural in Medium Plus.